


Lazily Drifting Along

by mmmdraco



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-17
Updated: 2012-07-17
Packaged: 2017-11-10 03:39:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/461813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmmdraco/pseuds/mmmdraco
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Momo visits Ryoma to play in the snow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lazily Drifting Along

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is Konomi-sensei's.

The snow drifted down through the sky, catching the harsh rays of the winter sun and twinkling just slightly before they settled to the ground. Ryoma watched them from his window, a textbook in front of him as he did his homework bit by bit between bouts of snow watching and playing with Karupin.

The days weren't very long this time of year and Ryoma hated them for it, but that was all he could really hate about it. He could still play tennis in the snow, no matter how soaked the ball got or how numb his hands were. There was always tennis, even if there wasn't always a partner. He played his father regularly during the winter, just as did every other season, but the old man was less willing to play a long game when his feet were getting numb and his joints were cracking with the cold.

So Ryoma would play against himself with the temple wall in between. Sometimes, if he was feeling reckless, he would hit the ball against the side of the house wherever his father was... just to annoy him... and maybe get him to come out and play.

The snow continued its lazy descent. A thin layer of white dusted the ground in even the most stubbornly shaded areas of the yard. Ryoma longed to be out there, even in his down jacket. But first there was homework. Ryoma knew he could easily put off the homework until later, but without an incentive to finish, he would probably fall asleep on his math book again.

Before Ryoma knew it, he had only two questions left on his science worksheet. He gazed out the window again and noted the darkening of the sky and way the snowflakes had become more dense, but still just as lazy. And there... What?

Ryoma scrawled down haphazard answers to his last two questions and shoved his books to the side in order to run downstairs and outside in his bare feet to meet Momoshiro who was walking with his hands in his pockets up to the door. "Momo-senpai?"

Momoshiro smiled widely. "Hey. I figured you'd be done with your homework by now. I wanted someone to play in the snow with. All my siblings are tired out and drinking hot cocoa."

Feeling his own mouth widen into a grin, Ryoma nodded. "Yeah. Let me just go grab a jacket."

Taking one glance at Ryoma's outfit, Momoshiro quipped, "You might also consider socks, shoes, and pants."

Ryoma snorted derisively. "Pants are for wimps."

"Not if we're going to have a snowball fight."

His heart racing at the very idea, Ryoma quirked an eyebrow. "There's not enough snow on the ground yet, is there?" He started to walk inside.

Momoshiro followed. "Well... we could always wait a little bit until after dinner... assuming no one minds I'm here. The snow's really starting to come down."

Ryoma shook his head. "My cousin always makes more than enough food for everyone. I'll make sure in a minute, though. What do you want to do until dinner?"

Pulling his hands from his pockets, Momoshiro unzipped his jacket and took it off carefully. Ryoma smiled to see that he'd had his tennis racket against his back. "I figured we could have a game. We don't want to get out of practice."

Quickly ducking his head into the kitchen to make sure it was all right for Momoshiro to stay for dinner, Ryoma relayed the okay and forced Momoshiro to follow him upstairs to his room. Momoshiro laughed to see Karupin rolling around on Ryoma's homework. Ryoma rushed over to fend off the happily galavanting cat. "Karupin!" Thankfully, there wasn't much damage done beyond a few creases and folds. 

When Ryoma looked up, he caught Momoshiro looking out the window with a warm look on his face. "The snow is beautiful, isn't it, Momo-senpai?"

Momoshiro nodded. "When I saw the sky getting dark and the snow falling down, I couldn't help but think that I wanted to share it with you."

Ryoma finished straightening up his papers. "I'm glad you came by. It's lonely to be in the snow alone."

They caught each other's gaze and just looked for a while, neither of them saying anything or making motions toward actually playing the game they'd agreed upon. After several minutes, Momoshiro finally made a move. He took a single step and closed the gap between Ryoma and himself and put an arm around the other boy, then had the other follow, then held Ryoma close.

Ryoma relaxed into the embrace for a moment with his arms hanging limply at his sides, then raised them to grasp at Momoshiro's shoulders. When he spoke, the words were muffled against Momoshiro's chest. "Momo-senpai... why does this feel so good?"

Momoshiro turned his head and placed a terse kiss on Ryoma's temple. "I don't know. Because it's right?"

Smiling brightly in the shadows of Momoshiro's body, Ryoma pressed himself further against his friend. "That sounds nice. I... I'm glad you're here, Momo-senpai."

Catching sight of the snow again, Momoshiro grinned. "Me too, Echizen."

Ryoma pulled away slightly and looked out the window with Momoshiro. "We don't really have enough time for a game, especially since you've been getting better again lately."

"I guess we'll just have to stay like this, then. It's comfortable."

Relishing the warmth that Momoshiro was radiating, Ryoma snuggled further against him. "It is. And then we'll have a snowball fight right after dinner."

"And then hot cocoa."

Feeling Karupin rubbing against his ankles, Ryoma nudged him away. "And then hot cocoa. Maybe we'll have our game tomorrow?"

Momoshiro didn't answer for a moment. "What if the snow keeps up?"

"Then it'll be a challenge and the ball will get wet and it'll be even more unpleasant to get hit with. So, as long as you keep moving, it'll be fine."

"That makes sense."

Ryoma nodded. "Momo-senpai?"

"Hmm?"

"You should come over more often."

And the snow continued to tumble down slowly, eventually making it to the ground. But it, like Ryoma and Momoshiro, was in no big hurry.


End file.
